Pentair Intellibrite 5G Lights- Short Lifespan

[MBMMPool]

Curious to know if my experience is "typical" or if I have just been unlucky... I had two Intellibrite 5G LED lights installed with my pool build... One of the two lights stopped working at the end of Season #3, and the second original has died at the beginning of Season #5. Living in Ohio, my season tends to only be June-August during which time I doubt the lights are even turned on more than 20 nights (and usually not for more than an hour)...

Love these things when they work, but they are quickly becoming the biggest pool-related annual expense (1 Year Warranty essentially covers ONE season). Thinking of switching to something else (if it's even possible)

Are my experiences "typical"? Anyone else having better luck? (especially in places with cold winters)

 

[cowboycasey]

I can say the pentair are the "best" out there now.. the question is why they are dying... are they getting water in them, overheating (LED's hate heat) lightning, voltage spikes... are they running at 120v or 12v, the lower 12v ones seem to last long as LED are normally low voltage and there are less parts in the 12v model as the transformer is out of the light and water.

 

[MBMMPool]

I can say the pentair are the "best" out there now.. the question is why they are dying... are they getting water in them, overheating (LED's hate heat) lightning, voltage spikes... are they running at 120v or 12v, the lower 12v ones seem to last long as LED are normally low voltage and there are less parts in the 12v model as the transformer is out of the light and water.

Thanks for the reply.

I have the 120v- and your thoughts about the advantages of 12v make sense- I will consider when I purchase (probably going to live with only one for this summer- secretly hoping that a new version appears).

Absolutely no signs of water getting in, and I doubt we use them enough to overheat. Both failed lights have simply gone from working as designed to no longer functioning at all. Electrical spikes are always a possibility, although I don't live in an area with any particular issues (never problems with anything else in my house- including "always on" things like computers, modems, etc. My lights wired using a standard switch (vs. the available Pentair controller), so "Off" is really be "Off" in electrical terms (open circuit). The only thing I can think of is that my installer/electrician used a new circuit and included the lights and the motor for my autocover... I suppose it's possible that- if cover is operated while lights are on- the cover motor is "stressing" the lights by causing spikes due to it's current draw... This (closing pool cover while lights are on) would be a very infrequent occurrence, but it likely occurs a dozen or more times season.

 

[Dirk]

Did you ever get a resolution to this? I may have some insight:

https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/154062-Pentair-IntelliBrite-5G-Defect